The present invention relates to an arrangement for adjusting the length of a carrying section of a child carrier intended particularly for carrying a child on an adult's front, back, or hip. The carrier has been supplied with the length adjustment of the carrying section, to make the same carrier ergonomically suitable for infant babies as well as for larger toddlers well until their pre-school years.
In prior art, various fabrics or their combinations are used for sewing carriers in a form of, for instance, a back carrier, a front carrier or a mei tai, with upper straps, which go over the wearer's shoulders, as well as lower straps or a hip belt, which are attached around the waist or hip, and occasionally also other straps such as a chest strap, which holds the upper straps in place. Between the straps there is a carrying section that can be realized in various ways, somewhat formed e.g. into a shape of a cup or into a rectangle or square. Ergonomically, the carrying section should support the child's back all the way up. This is particularly important for a small baby and for a baby who is sleeping or moving actively in the carrier, in order for the carrier to be safe for the baby and for the carrying to be pleasant for the wearer and to the child. When the carrying section supports the child's back all the way up, or at least up to the level of the arm pits, the mass center of the child stays close to the wearer. During the most active carrying period, from newborn to about a two-year-old, the child will grow by dozens of centimeters.
Furthermore, carriers are often used occasionally for carrying larger children, for instance on longer distances, at airports or while hiking, and for handicapped or other children with special needs. Most carriers according to prior art make compromises regarding the height of the carrying section to make it suitable for children aged approximately six to eighteen months. This makes it too high for small babies and too low for larger children. Thus, a carrier that is suitable for a twelve-month-old is not suitable for ergonomic carrying of a small baby or a larger child. For some carriers, the problem has been solved by adding a separate inner part for smaller babies. This adds to the fabric layers of the carriers, which is undesirable in hot weather, warm climates or indoor use. Nor does the separate inner section solve the problem in terms of the ergonomics of carrying larger children. Other carriers are sold in various sizes, in which case a family has to buy several carriers for the same child or an own carrier for each child of a various age.
In prior art, the main points of focus in the design solutions for the various carriers on the market have, naturally been safety, ease of use and comfort primarily for the wearer and to some degree for the child. Ergonomy, in particular from the child's point of view, is quite a recent consideration. The solutions that exist tend to come in the form of added-on features, for instance a detachable or foldable head support or a separate insert for smaller children or infants. The drawbacks of these solutions are that they add to the complexity of the product, which, on one hand, reduces the ease-of-use and, on the other hand, adds to both the weight of the product, which is an important consideration moving around with a child, and to the cost of the product, making it less affordable and, thus, less desirable. A separate issue is that the size and measurements and the relationship between different measurements, for instance, the size and the placement of possible arm and leg openings, do not easily change and adjust with the add-on features during the period of rapid growth of a young child. Thus, add-on features are usually less than optimal and entail important tradeoffs often in the area of ergonomy for the child. As an example, a headrest can not easily be used for supporting a longer back of the child if it results in that the arm openings are getting “in the wrong place”.